Prevalence of All-cause and Coronary Mortality in Turkish Adults as Assessed by 8-year Follow-up Data of the Turkish Adult Risk Factor Study

The Turkish Adult Risk Factor Study was initiated in 1990 on a randoru sample of 3687 adults (20 years of age or over) residing in 59 communities scattered in all regions of Turkey. After a first follow-up in I 995, a second follow-up survey was performed in the Marmara region in I 997 and in the remaining regions in the summer of 1998. This paper reports the findings on the prevalence of coronary and allcause mortality as well as of new coronary events in the last 3 years of follow-up. Data based on the Syear follow-up are also presented. Cardiovascular history and physical examination were obtained, and a 12-lead ECG was recorded at rest. New coronary events were defined to include fatal and nonfatal myocardiaı infarction, newly developed stable angina with or without associated myocardiaı ischemia. Though the last survey involved ı370 men and women, of whom 34 men and ı7 women had died, 8-year cumulative data based on a follow-up of 21160 person-years are deseribed below. Overall annual death rate was 10.2 per 1000 men and 7.1 per ıOOO womenina relatively young cohort the mean age of which moved from 37 to 49 years over the follow-up period. In the age bracket of 45-74 years, overall mortality per 1000 was 20.1 in men and 13.9 in women representing in women- together with those of Ukraine - the highest mortality levels in Europe. Coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality w as found 4.ı per ı 000 men and 3.4 per 1000 women which rose in the age bracket of 45-74 years to 7.6 in men and 6.0 in women. Rates in men correspond to those of the non-Balkanic East European countries while rates in women far exceed even those of Ukraine women. Annual prev~lence of new coronary events which comprise fatal coronary events w as estimated as 8.4 per 1 000 men and 6.2 per I 000 women - ra tes which al so appear high. These observations necessitate much more effective implementation of cardiovascular preventive measures among Turkish adults.